Foil clamping devices for clamping printing foils on the cylinder of duplicating machines



Aug. 10, 1965 GERlCKE 3,199,452

FOIL CLAMPING DEVICES FOR CLAMPING PRINTING FOILS ON THE CYLINDER OF DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Sept. 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor.

7, MM/Lbb M a! PM Aug. 10, 1965 E. GERICKE 3,199,452

FOIL CLAM G DEV S FOR CLAMPING PRINTING FOILS 0N T CYLIN R OF DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Sept. 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 "u my 1% 2w S L I 0 FS E MN II TH NC Mm P G Aug. 10, 1965 E. GERICKE FOIL CLA ING DEVICES F CLAMPING CYLINDER O UPLICATIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 21. 1961 Aug. 10, 1965 E. GERICKE 3,199,452

FOIL CLAMPING DEVICES FOR CLAMPING' PRINTING FOILS ON THE CYLINDER OF DUPLICATING MAGHI NES Filed Sept. 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor. 19/ WW, M PM, W

0, 1965 .GERICKE 3,199,452

FOIL CLAMPING DEVI FOR CLAMPING PRINTING FOILS ON THE CYLINDER 0F DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Sept. 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 K ca v d'MtVM .lnremon' By L M M1, fimm United States Patent a 6 Claims. '(Cl. 101-4151) The invention relates to foil clamping devices for clamping printing foils on the cylinder of duplicating machines, more particularly offset printing machines.

In such machines a plurality of foils of the same or different sizes are clamped to a cylinder, such as the plate cylinder in an offset printing machine at their front edges in a coincident position by means of grippers which are held in the closed position by springs. Some of the grippers open earlier and close later than the other grippers, and some of the grippers open before the others and close after the latter, so that after a foil has been clamped beneath the first-closing grippers a second foil can be clamped, independently of the first foil, beneath the grippers which close thereafter, and can be removed in the reverse sequence. The object of this arrangement is to enable the text to be altered or masked as required during a run of the machine, by masking portions of the text of the first foil by means of one or more foils or foil portions with or without :a text, so that the part of the first foil masked by the second foil or foils is not printed or is replaced by a text on the masking portion or portions.

The procedure adopted when using this equipment is such that first part of the run is printed with the first foil and then part of the first foil is masked and another part of the run is printed. Naturally, part of the run may first be printed with the first foil masked by the second foil, whereupon the second foil is removed and another part of the run is continued with the first foil.

Devices hitherto known for this purpose were so designed that it was possible to use some of the grippers only to clamp the first foil while other grippers were used to clamp the second foil only. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that the masking second foil can be clamped only by the grippers which are intended for this second foil and which are fixed in the machine. This disadvantage is experienced particularly when the foil portion to be clamped over another foil is very narrow and hence can be clamped only by one of the grippers designed to clamp the second foil, since as a result this portion of the foil does not lie firmly on the cylinder and spoiled prints frequently result. The fixed arrangement of a number of grippers intended only for clamping the second foil also makes it impossible for the second foil to be clamped at any desired place.

According to the present invention, the problem of tightly and immovably clamping one or more foils or foil portions over a first foil at any desired place independently of the width of said foil portions is solved by mounting the grippers so as to be rotatable on a shaft and by associating with each gripper a cam arrangement which is rigidly connected to the shaft which, by means of an adjustable driver, opens the gripper to a varying degree according to the adjustment of said driver, so that when the gripper shaft is partially rotated the adjusted grippers open first, followed by the non-adjusted grippers, the bearings for the grippers being axially slidable in a groove on the shaft.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 shows the position of the foil clamping device as applied to an offset printing machine;

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' FIG. 2 shows the non-adjusted grippers in the open position for the accommodation of the first foil F, and the adjusted grippers for the accommodation of the second foil, the first foil F being situated at the front stop ready for clamping;

FIG. 3 shows the first foil F in the clamped position and also shows the grippers adjusted for receiving the second foil;

FIG. 4 shows in the closed state the non-adjusted grippers for accommodation of the first foil and the grippers adjusted for the accommodation of the second foil, the two foils F being in the clamped position;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a gripper with its position on the shaft and means for effecting axial adjustment of the gripper bearings on the shaft, and

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of the gripper shown in FIG. 5.

The mode of operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described.

A cam device 4 and a lock 11 are fixed on a shaft 3 mounted in the cylinder of a printing machine. Grippers 1 and 1' are pivotal on the shaft 3 and are held in the closed position by tension springs 2. In this closed position, the grippers 1 can be adjusted for earlier opening as required by turning a driver head 8 of an adjustable driver 6 and the grippers 1' for later opening. On operation of a linkage 5 arranged adjacent to the cylinder, the lock 11 is opened by rotation of the shaft 3 by said linkage so that the pressure of the cam device 4 against the grippers 1 moves these grippers 1 against the action of a spring 2 and a pawl .10 drops into a first recess 23 of the look 11, FIG. 3. In this position, only the grippers 1 which are intended to open early are open, while the driver head 8 of the non-selected grippers 1' drops into a slot 9 in the grippers 1' and thus the non-selected grippers 1' remain in the closed position.

On further operation of the linkage 5, the lock 11 is further rotated and opens the non-selected grippers 1 and the pawl 10 drops into the next recess 22 of the lock 11. The grippers 1 are held in the open position by this pawl 10. In this position, the foil P, which is passed to the grippers over a lay, is supplied to the grippers 1.

To close the grippers 1, a lever 12 is operated and lifts the pawl 14) from the recess in the lock 11, and under the action of the spring 2 the grippers 1 are brought into the closed position and clamp the foil F. Printing of part of the run of the machine can now be begun.

To clamp the second foil F or foils, whichcan be effected either after completion of printing of part of the run or immediately, the linkage 5 is operated as already described, so that only the grippers 1 which are adjusted for early opening, are opened. The second foil F can now be supplied by way of the lay. Closing of the grippers 1 is then effected in the manner already described.

Removal of the foils F and F is in each case carried out in the reverse sequence as the clamping of these foils. To enable even narrow foils F to be clamped at any desired place by more than one gripper 1', gripper bearings '7 with the grippers 1 and the cam device 4 are axially slidable in a groove 20 in the shaft 3 as will be clear from FIG. 5, so that the grippers can be used at any desired place on the front edge of the foil. A locking set screw 21 on each bearing cooperates with the groove 20 to fix the grippers at any desired place.

I claim:

1. A clamping device for clamping printing foils on a cylinder of a duplicating machine such as an offset printing machine comprising a cylinder, a rotatable shaft thereon, means for rotating the shaft, a row of grippers rotatably mounted on said shaft for clamping foils on said cylinder; each gripper having spring means I 0 associated therewith for maintaining the gripper in a closed position, and a cam for each gripper fixed to the shaft for affecting an opening movement of its respective gripper upon rotation of the shaft, the cam comprising .a driver and means for adjusting the driver, so that a partial rotation of the shaft will cause selected grippers to either be opened or remain closed, depending upon the adjustment of their asociated drivers, and further rotation of the shaft will cause the remaining grippers to be opened.

2. A clamping device for clamping printing foils on a cylinder of a duplicating machine such as an offset printving machine comprising a cylinder, a rotatable shaft thereon, means for rotating the shaft, a row of grippers rotatably mounted on said shaft for clamping foils on said cylinder; each gripper having spring means associated therewith for maintaining the gripper in a closed position, and a cam for each gripper fixed to the shaft for affecting an opening movement of its respective gripper 'upon rotation of the shaft, the cam comprising a driver and means for adjusting the driver, so that a partial rotation of the shaft will cause selected grippers to either be opened or remain closed, depending upon the adjustment of their associated drivers, and further rotation of the shaft will cause the remaining grippers to be opened, bearings for said grippers, said shaft having a longitudinally extending groove and a set screw in each bear- -ing cooperating with said groove to prevent rotation of said bearings while permitting axial adjustment along said shaft.

3. A clamping device for clamping printing foils on a cylinder of a duplicating machine such as an offset printing machine comprising a cylinder, a rotatable shaft thereon, means for rotating the shaft, a row of grippers rotatably mounted on said shaft for clamping foils on said cylinder; each gripper having spring means associated therewith for maintaining the gripper in a closed position, and a cam for each gripper fixed to the shaft for affecting an opening movement of its respective gripper upon rotation of the shaft, the cam comprising a driver and means for adjusting the driver, so that a partial rotation of the shaft will cause selected grippers to either be opened or remain closed, depending upon the adjustment of their associated drivers, and further rotation of the shaft will cause the remaining grippers to be opened, said adjusting means comprising 'a head on each driver, a slot in each gripper, said head in one position resting on said gripper and in another position penetrating said slot.

4. A clamping device for clamping printing foils on a cylinder of a duplicating machine such as an offset printing machine comprising a cylinder, a rotatable shaft hereon, means for rotating the shaft, a row of grippers rotatably mounted on said shaft for clamping foils on said cylinder; each gripper having spring means associated therewith for maintaining the gripper in a closed position, and a cam for each gripper fixed to the shaft for affecting an opening movement of its respective gripper upon rotation of the shaft, the cam comprising .a driver and means for adjusting the driver, so that a partial rotation of the shaft will cause selected grippers to either be opened or remain closed, depending upon the adjustment of their associated drivers, and further rotation of the shaft will cause the remaining grippers to 'be opened and means maintaining said grippers in open position comprising a pawl pivotally mounted on said cylinder, a lock fixed on said shaft, stops on said lock with which said pawl cooperates, and means for rotating said lock and thereby said shaft so that the grippers are held open by said pawl and stops in the required position. a

5. A clamping device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for rotating said lock comprises a pivoted lever cooperating with said lock.

6. A clamping device for clamping printing foils on a cylinder of a duplicating machine such as an offset printing machine comprising a cylinder, a rotatable shaft thereon, means for rotating the shaft, a row of grippers rotatably mounted on said shaft for clamping foils on said cylinder; each gripper having spring means associated therewith for maintaining the gripper in a closed position, and a cam for each gripper fixed to the shaft for affecting an opening movement of its respective gripper upon rotation of the shaft, the cam comprising a driver and means for adjusting the driver, so that a partial rotation of the shaft will cause selected grippers to either be opened or remain closed, depending upon the adjustment of their associated drivers, and further rotation of the shaft will cause the remaining grippers to be opened and means maintaining said grippers in open position comprising a pawl pivotally mounted on said cylinder, a lock fixed on said shaft, stops on said lock with which said pawl cooperates, and means for rotating said lock and thereby said shaft so that the grippers are held open by said pawl and stops in the required position and a lever on said cylinder connected to said pawl for disengaging said pawl from said stop thereby enabling the springs to close said grippers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,088,862 8/37 Lang 101-409 2,329,830 9/43 Crafts 101-4151 2,689,521 9/54 Ritzerfeld et al 101-4151 2,880,670 4/59 Brougham et al 101-1325 2,937,593 5/60 Ritzerfeld et al 101-4151 DAVID KLEIN, Primary Examiner.

R. A. LEIGHEY, WILLIAM B. PENN, Examiners. 

1. A CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CLAMPING PRINTING FOILS ON A CYLINDER OF A DUPLICATING MACHINE SUCH AS AN OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE COMPRISING A CYLINDER, A ROTATABLE SHAFT THEREON, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SHAFT, A ROW OF GRIPPERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR CLAMPING FOILS ON SAID CYLINDER; EACH GRIPPER HAVING SPRING MEANS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR MAINTAINING THE GRIPPER IN A CLOSED POSITION, AND A CAM FOR EACH GRIPPER FIXED TO THE SHAFT FOR AFFECTING AN OPENING MOVEMENT OF ITS RESPECTIVE GRIPPER UPON ROTATION OF THE SHAFT, THE CAM COMPRISING A DRIVER AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE DRIVER, SO THAT A PARTIAL ROTATION OF THE SHAFT WILL CAUSE SELECTED GRIPPERS TO EITHER BE OPENED OR REMAIN CLOSED, DEPENDING UPON THE ADJUSTMENT OF THEIR ASSOCIATED DRIVERS, AND FURTHER ROTATION OF THE SHAFT WILL CAUSE THE REMAINING GRIPPERS TO BE OPENED. 